The Palatka daily news. (Palatka, Fla.) 1884-1888, 1887-06-21
ANTICS OF AN APE.
Trying to Catch Stray Monkey I'm
Paris-A Question of Ownership.

Trying tn Catch Stray Monkey I'm
I'aris-A Question of Ownership.
Poc's TRACE tale of the murlerous an
tics Of an aTsc in Paris las just found
comical counterpart Oddly enough, both
dramas were enacted in the same locality,
that l.; t. say. not far from the morgue.
\ bcvy uf newly enlisted conscripts, with
painted pictures ON their hats. Were
crossi.i,, III. Point Neuf. arm i'm arm,
kccihas 81, 10 the music of the .'Marsel-
EIis"." when IA IlcnIy they saw small
but niinaie monkey leapIng and bound
ing in front of them, making a ZiGZag
course. from one side of the bridge tai
the other. frightened at the water on
either hand, and too beaddled in mind Ia
think Of making straight and swift es-
cape tn the end of the bridge, and thence
to his home. The young conscripts. for
getting their country and its national
song, gave a scream of delight, broke
ranks AMI .rave instant chase after the
lively little asst. The raw recruits. I'M
diciplinesl yet eager for action. performed
proci ;ios of v.ilor in running against and
knocking one another down. and whisk-
ing off one ano;hcr's picture covered
hats, but no one of the hunters caught
the monkey. lie dOd,-cfi deity between
tflt' inc Wfltbc
and was as brisk iii his new departures
as the Irishmaa's flea. Soon the melee.
like Il travelling gust of wind, was trans
ferred from thu bridge to the adjoining
quIai dc In nIeg2isserie. Here the numer-
OILS passcrs by. on seeing the fun, at once
Joined in it, a.ldi,lc; 10 the baffled military
force fresh civil reserve, The spectacle
was ex!lilara:ing. The crowd became
dense. and everybody was soon stupidity
looking down and around, here ard
there. expecting the monkey to be found
under somebody feet.
Poor thin. he will probably I've
tramplcI to ,.o.I,h," exclaimed some
humane voices.
But this apprehension was soon put at
rest. y hundred merry Threats sud
denly burst into a ringing cheer. Hal
the monkey been caught? No, He was
farther than ever from such an ignO-
ninious fatc-l,c had climbed tree,
Look AZ the little brute sail n stout
gentleman. who hal legal portfolio
under his arm, show he is grinning at
us, showing contempt to the court and
jury"
Two or three ra9amuffins, veritable
gamini. thea climbed the monkeys tree.
almost as nimbly - if they had been
monkeys themselves Did they get
their hanfisi upon their Simian brother?
Not 1T all. He hoped from branch to
branch. and, on being holly pressed,
made iiyal and splendid jump-bctter
than anything done on the trapczc Mt the
ippoiroue-landines himself safely on
the next tree. Tho gamins were badly
laughed at. Nothing so ill succeeds as
ill success, rs Talleyrand might have OBJ
81
Disconnected by laugh nor outwitted
by an ape. Tie young rogues attacked
tie next tree, and the next, until the
mC@kcy, having no more trees to leap
into, skipped Mt last to the only remain
ing refuge, which was the top of a lamp
post. On this low pinnacle of evident
,."nGer his chances of maintaining his
liberty and life might have been small.
except for the opportunc interference of
a taii policeman. who said:
Stand off. boys, will reach up and
take hin, down, quietly"
Nhcrcupon the gentle giant ont
stretched his long right arm. and grazCd
the willing captive, who Shove! mani
fest signs of relief at thus receiving the
protection of the law.
Was tine sport now over? Certainly
not. Ii was, in fact, rebcgun.
Who is the owner of this animal?
Let him step forth and claim his pro-
perty." saiI the officer. magisterially.
The monkey is mine, " replied wills
kcrcd young man, with unkefnpt hair
AMI an uncanny look.
No: he is mine. replied a small hoy.
smaller even than any of the gamins
who hal climbed the trees.
You are little liar" rejoined the
unEempt man.
Won are big thief retorted the
courageous lad-
In two minutes the popular interest in
this dispute grew To fever heat. There
was something in the honest, scared. tear
| full look Of the little boy that excited the
| sympathy of the bystanders. A police
man Is. Of all men, pre-eminently sIIs-
| picioU-- Tie policeman who held the
monkey gave n searching and suspicious
| look at. the grizzly whiskerando who stood
| as claimant
Give the monkey to the little boy"
cried several voices i'm the crowd
.'Nos without evidence replied the
officer. 80, now, my little man, can
| you prove to me that this monkey is
| yours:'
Yes. 1 cam cried the boy trium-
| phantly; this is a he monkey. and
have his wife in my pocket!''
Nhereupon, to the astonishment and
delight Of tine applaII,iing crowd, the lad
drew forth from las pocket tiny pet fe-
male monkey. the animal which the
French call the guenon. The evidence
was complete, and, as the French journ-
alists say, 1.-The incident was closed. -
Kansas fty TnIIrpaI